Mount Si

Discovery Pass Required

Moderate Hiking Trail4 Miles

Dog Friendly (leash required)

Picnic Area (mid-path)

Overview

Legends of the Snoqualime people stated Mount Si was the body of the moon that fell to the earth. To the joy of the 100,000 annual hikers, the vastness and legendary tone of the tale is matched by the mountain. Elevating 3100 feet in around four miles, it suits both the novice and the experience hiker along with climbers. The trail itself is tough, but not cruel unlike the parking lot can easily overflow.

Legends of the Snoqualime people stated Mount Si was the body of the moon that fell to the earth. To the joy of the 100,000 annual hikers, the vastness and legendary tone of the tale is matched by the mountain. Elevating 3100 feet in around four miles, it suits both the novice and the experience hiker along with climbers. The trail itself is tough, but not cruel unlike the parking lot can easily overflow.

Rumors state that if climbers are able to complete the climbing path in under two hours, than they are ready for Washington’s tallest peak. The typical time to start training is in the early spring and the best time to hike is agreed to be from April until November. Those hot summer days are manageable due to the shade that the trail’s trees provide. But just because the mountain is novice friendly it does not mean that the hike will not be challenging.

The trail is dog friendly, although for safety reasons must be kept on a leash.

The Trail

Switchbacks and climbing begin almost as soon as you leave the trailhead. For the first mile and a half, the trail is gentle and rising, accommodating to the novice. Shortly thereafter, it flattens out as it winds through Snag Fla. The trail itself used to be a 4×4 track for miners and loggers as a reminder of the mountain’s history.

Mount SI was only established as a conservation area rather recently (in 1977) and so it worth noting that it was previously a mining and logging base. The trees are enormous, luckily spared through the years of logging and through fires. Once arriving Snag Flat, the trail started to steepen through a young forest. At the three and a half mile mark, there is a breathtaking view of the south in the midst of the canopy.

The trail starts to climbing more and after a quarter of a mile, it gets aggressively steeper before reaching a talus slope that bisects the forest, providing expansive views to the southeast. If the weather is forgiving and clear, Mount Rainier claims the horizon. This particular spot is a popular spot for lunch and a popular turnaround mark.

But for a glorious view, one only need to hike a little further. On the right, there are stair steps. For the vertically inclined, a rough scramble leads to the top of the Haystack from the other branch of the formal trail. Once reaching the very end, the rewards are bountiful as there’s an overlook of the Snoqualmie Valley, Seattle, and the Olympics. You can also gaze up at the Haystack, Mount Si’s true summit, as well as the lower western summit. Not to mention that if fortune smiles that day, the sight of mountain goats are common (mostly in the summer).